diff --git a/common/change_gds_cell.py b/common/change_gds_cell.py
index 7e2c22a..ddb4e4d 100755
--- a/common/change_gds_cell.py
+++ b/common/change_gds_cell.py
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@
                 sys.exit(1)
 
             bstring = celldata[dataptr + 4: dataptr + reclen]
+            # Odd length strings end in null byte which needs to be removed
+            if bstring[-1] == 0:
+                bstring = bstring[:-1]
             strname = bstring.decode('ascii')
             if strname == cellname:
                 print('Cell ' + cellname + ' found at position ' + str(saveptr))
@@ -163,6 +166,9 @@
                 sys.exit(1)
 
             bstring = gdsdata[dataptr + 4: dataptr + reclen]
+            # Odd length strings end in null byte which needs to be removed
+            if bstring[-1] == 0:
+                bstring = bstring[:-1]
             strname = bstring.decode('ascii')
             if strname == cellname:
                 print('Cell ' + cellname + ' found at position ' + str(saveptr))